Change is Infinite
by AkumaRed
Summary: I was your average middle school student, and still am in all things considering. Lately, I've just been going through some slow but defining changes. Once, I had no purpose, nothing meant, and life was an endless cycle. Now I began to find what I want to protect, and my own family. This is just the beginning. [Rated T for future cursing, darker thoughts, and slight gore.]
1. One - Miyamoto Azami

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.  
****I solely own Miyamoto Azami.**

[_ Miyamoto Azami _]

* * *

_"Jinja no kibu ni kokoro no kotoba."_

* * *

Beneath my desk, my fingers twirled amongst each other in a nervous habit. I kept up the appearance of my wide grin, laughing along with the jokes they made. I let myself snort when someone said something stupid, or a snide remark was made.

I didn't understand why I kept up such an appearance, when they never really noticed me anyway.

This led to where I was now. I sighed at the silence that surround me currently, knowing the peace would not last so long. Cherry pink petals drift with the breeze that sway their branches above me in the cherry blossom tree I sat underneath. I liked to consider this place my small peaceful area, nothing too large. I was seated in a just big enough space between the weaving roots and thick trunk of the tree, a book held in my grasp.

A petal float down leisurely in front of my face, and I watch it with an absent gaze, following its trail until it rest against the grass. I enjoyed these quiet moments, but it was a shame they didn't last.

"Azami! What are you doing over there by yourself?" someone called. Distinctly I pondered on her name again, but just brushed it aside. If I didn't remember, she wasn't important.

I direct my brown eyes to look at the person who'd decided it was high time I got up and started socializing with their little posse again. "Yea?" I asked casually, shoving away my darker emotions for later.

I had a mask to keep up, after all.

"Hinari-chan was asking for you!" the girl all but chirped, "So let's get moving!"

I offered her a grin - placing the bookmark firmly into the page I paused at before my mind had decided to take a trip to dream land - and got to my feet.

"Sure, let's get going! Don't need to keep Hinari waiting," I smiled.

The girl giggled in agreement, and we both made our way to our usual lunch place as the bell rang, signaling free period was over, and lunch has started.

As we met up with the group I usually hung around with, the same routine started all over again. Little did I know, tomorrow something just a bit different would change everything.

* * *

I softly tap the eraser side of my pencil against the edge of my desk, staring into space in a general direction and not truly thinking on anything. Everyone had gone about their own at this time, so I was free to do what I wished, and it usually involved day dreaming.

One boy, another in our class, was being shoved around like a toy amongst a group of his daily bullies, other boys and girls snickering to the side and sharing insults between themselves.

It was almost the end of the day, so I was not surprised to see that the treatment was rougher than normal to him. During the end of the day, everyone got restless.

I honestly did not know his name, and one would expect me to since I have been his classmate all year so far, and with all the gossip that is shared about him and his faults.

There was one reason why I never listened, or bothered to learn his name, though. It was because I did not want to hear what everyone thought, but rather meet him myself. It seemed wrong in some way, calling him his name without speaking to him face-to-face.

It seemed like I was degrading him, and considering myself superior. Of course, I kept such thoughts to myself, and never interfered when everyone messed with him, but I didn't join in either. I was content to watch for now.

It was yet too early for me to step in, because I saw what others didn't. I saw that hidden ferocity in the depths of those abnormally wide and terrified caramel-brown depths.

_'Do not judge a book by its cover,' _I thought to myself. A small, barely noticeable smile turned up the corners of my mouth and I ceased my tapping. That phrase fit the boy well, and call it a feeling, but in the time to come, it would prove itself all the more true.

After a particularly hard shove, he stumbled and crash against a stray chair, tripping over it and landing on his back loudly on the ground. I gave a sympathetic wince as everyone else laughed shamelessly at the pain and torment they pursued the boy with.

When he did not get up, disappointed groans went all around. The crowd dispersed, everyone turning away from their prying stares to chatter with their comrades. As noise other than mocking fill the room, I turn my head and noticed he still hadn't stood.

With a sigh, I shook my head, and got to my feet. I place my pencil in my pocket, and lumbered over, weaving around the people and desks.

I glance down at him from above, leaning over from the side to check him for any blemishes caused by overly done bullying or teasing. I didn't doubt he hid them with his long-sleeved clothes, but I wasn't one to go rummaging through someone's clothing to check.

His eyes were closed, and he had surprisingly long lashes, though not quite long enough to be counted as feminine. He had hair that was seemingly untamable, spiking everywhere in its golden-accented brown color. It actually looked quite soft up close, like a fluffy, mud-stained cloud highlighted by the sun. His skin was a pale kind of color, though not overly, and he was one of the shortest in the class. If not _the _shortest.

(Not that I had any right to talk. I wasn't exactly a towering figure myself.)

He had a slim figure, though not muscled. He had a few surprising curves, and it was quite obvious how he could be mistaken as a girl. Funnily enough, I mused silently, some girls might even be jealous of the way his body was shaped. Though it was still obvious he had a ways to go before he lost all that clingy baby fat. It rounded his cheeks to an innocent plumpness, making him look much younger than he really was, and he was still a bit on the chubbier side.

My mind suddenly took a pause, and I tried to ignore the warm heat steadily staining my cheeks. Ignoring the fact I'd basically just been checking him out, I gently cleared my throat.

His eyes flew open in shock and surprise, obviously startled, and shot up. However, that imbalanced him since his legs had been draped onto the chair still, and he fell back down in a crumpled heap.

I barely repressed rolling my eyes at the laughter that followed, and reached a hand down to help the brunette. He was rubbing the back of his head, most likely a bump welling back there, and dark pink took over his face at the attention being brought back to him.

"You okay?" I asked softly, meeting his skittish doe-brown eyes. He actually flinched when we made eye contact, his gaze immediately darting downward. I could feel my own set of brown eyes harden stiffly, because it was obvious at how he'd been mistreated by the others.

I saw him glance down at my hand again, nervous-like, before his gaze flitted back up to meet mine. I merely offered him a smile.

He hesitated a beat, before taking my offered hand, and I pull him to his feet.

I watched him brush himself off for a few moments, and when he finished, I said into the silence, "Do you need to go to the nurse?"

He made a small shriek noise, and his head snap back towards me. It took a lot of willpower not to flinch at the noise he'd made, it hurt my ears. I bear with it, though.

"N-No," he replied, a nervous stutter covering his tone, "T-thanks for your c-concern, b-but I'm fine M-Miyamoto-san."

I was surprised he knew my name, actually. As far as I knew, we'd never interacted before this.

Pushing it aside, I smiled again. "It was no problem... I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

He blinked, obviously shocked beyond belief as if this was the first time he met someone who didn't know his name. Or nickname, because I faintly recall someone calling him _Dame_**[1]**.

"S-Sawada T-Tsunayoshi," he murmured in reply. I nod my head, and smiled once more. Now I knew his name, and it was through him. He might be clumsy, teased, and not great at education, but this boy, Tsunayoshi, wasn't bad.

"Well, as you might already know," I began, "I'm Miyamoto Azami. Pleasure to officially meet you, Sawada-san."

He blushed and stammered, waving his hands in the air. "P-Please! C-call me Tsuna!"

I nod once, about to offer my hand for a shake, but then remembered I wasn't in America at the current moment. Mentally smacking myself over the head, instead I gave a short bow in politeness. "Then please, call me Azami or any nickname you'd prefer Tsuna-san."

He shook his head frantically. "No, no!" he denied, "That's too familiar! H-how about... Miyamoto-chan?"

I sighed a bit, but gave him a smile. It wasn't what I preferred, but it was close enough. "That's fine, Tsuna-san."

The bell rang, and with a start I realized I'd been talking with him the rest of the class. Giving one last small bow out of politeness, I said bye to Tsuna before grabbing my bag and heading out with the herd of children eager to head home.

It was only on my way home, that I realized that for the first time in near years, I'd just given a genuine smile to someone other than my family.

_'Sawada Tsunayoshi,' _I thought, _'it seems my world is about to get a bit more interesting.'_

I almost wanted to bang my head against the nearest wall at the thought. I didn't want a truly exciting life. Though, I hoped that the chaos my instincts were thrumming at me about, would be a welcomed and anticipated change.

Only time could tell, and I had the patience to wait and see. Merely as an observer.

* * *

_"Word of the Heart at the Base of the Shrine."_

* * *

_You must be the change you wish to see in the world.  
-__**Mahatma Ghandi**_

**[1] **_Dame - _translated to "Loser" or "No-Good" in English.

_**Short A/N: **_I know this was short, well to me it was, but it felt like a good place to end this. And this, honestly, was just an idea that'd been browsing in my head for a while, and then finally before it drove me insane I wrote it out and posted it. This should only be a side story, to when I finally get my butt in gear and update _Transfusion_, but for now this will do to savor the writing crave.

_**This fiction will follow the manga, NOT the anime! You have been warned!**_


	2. Two - Duel Between Men

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.**

**I solely own Miyamoto Azami and any OCs mentioned.**

***THIS CHAPTER WAS REWRITTEN***

_"Jinja no kibu ni kokoro no kotoba."_

* * *

[_ Duel Between Men _]

* * *

My cheek rest lazily in the palm of my hand, my eyes staring off into space as everyone gossiped amongst themselves. The classroom door opened, and my eyes flickered to the side as chaos abrupt the once-calmed atmosphere.

"Ha! Look!" someone jeered, "It's the Underpants Man!" Laughter bubbled from several girls that'd been previously ogling the jock in a disgusting pitch that ruined my ears.

"Hey, hey, how did it go? 'Please go out with me!'?" another taunted.

Many people snorted, and soon everyone was laughing boisterously. I, however, was confused. I didn't hear anything on this new "scoop" everyone was joking about. Who were they making fun of anyway?

I turn my head, and my eyes widen at the sight of a dark red-faced Tsuna slumped in the doorway. It was obvious with each moment he was shrinking further into himself. I felt a twinge of empathy for the poor kid, I knew the pain of attention. I despised it. I couldn't speak in public without feeling my face heat up with a faint coloring.

He scurry to his desk, head lowered in shame. He gave a loud shriek when a guy poked him rather violently on the shoulder, and twist his neck around with huge eyes covered in fear, embarrassment, and anxiety.

"You got flat out rejected, right?" the dark haired individual said haughtily, looking arrogant. "Of course you were! Kyoko-chan wouldn't go on a date with such a loser like you, Dame-Tsuna!"

Tsuna's face grew a startling shade, his whole face all the way down to collarbone an ashamed pink. Kyoko, the ginger-haired girl mentioned, was looking down at her feet with her own blush sprinkling her cheeks.

Another round of mocking laughter filled the room, and I didn't notice that my hand was clenched into a tight fist, digging into my palm.

When the class finally calm down, though the level of chatter on a higher volume than before due to the excitement previously, I prepared to walk over to Tsuna to check on him.

The bell rang, and the teacher walked in.

With a glum sigh, I sank back into my chair, throwing a pitiful glance at Tsuna as his forehead grind into his desk. I felt bad for him. He went and asked someone on a date, from the sounds of it, and his first crush too. He was flat-out rejected, and now everyone had to mock him about it.

Though... _'Underpants Man..?' _I thought, a look of confusion wrinkling my forehead.

_'What did they mean by that?'_

* * *

"Are you going to the fight at the kendo dojo after school, Azami-chan?" a girl, Kaede, asked actively, excitement gleaming in her eyes. She had dark chestnut hair that was generally styled in a bun, and when it was down it rest to her shoulders with small curls at the ends. Her eyes were a bright hazel in color, leaning more towards green than brown.

My head lift up slightly from the book I was reading, a questioning look on my face. "Fight? What fight?"

Immediately, everyone's chatter ceased, and several dramatic gasps filled the air. Soon, all the gazes in the little gossip group were staring at me in what seemed like dramatic horror.

"How do you _not _know, Azami?" a familiar, snobbish voice remarked. "Oh wait," the voice trilled, "It's _you_. You aren't into gossip, are you? Of course not! That tiny brain of yours can't seem to comprehend just how important it is!"

At this several laughs echoed along with the girl who'd made the comment. My cheeks held a faint warmth, and I knew if they looked close enough there would be pink. I hated public debating and crowds, and it seemed that my plan to mingle to avoid attention was slowly failing. I needed to figure out a way to avoid these girls - and guys on occasion - better than I had been.

Making sure not to avert my gaze, I met the high-raised and prideful eyes of the ringleader of all the gossipers in our age group, possibly the whole middle school. Jikoda Hinari.

She had silky black hair that cascade to her waist, today it was styled into a pretty French braid, and she had dark brown eyes. She generally also wore a uniform several sizes smaller to, as she word it, "show the boys my stuff".

I thought it was complete bullshit, pardon my language, but I knew better than to say that out loud. I didn't need any unnecessary enemies at the current time.

Instead of directing my reply to Hinari, I instead turned to Kaede again. "What fight?" I inquired, "All I know is something about Tsuna confessing to Kyoko."

At the mention of the other popular girl at school, Sasagawa Kyoko, Hinari's hatred and glaring look didn't bypass me. It was as if everyone but myself noticed just how much Hinari was competing with Kyoko, trying to get boys to ask her out, and claiming the "crown" of Gossip Queen. (_Not a very useful skill in my opinion. While it is good to keep informed on matters, "Gossip Queen" was just ridiculous._)

Kaede's eyes lit up, and she clambered to sit next to me, leaning to whisper in my ear secretively, "This morning, Dame-Tsuna confessed to Kyoko is his _underwear_! I wasn't there to see it, but apparently Mochida-senpai claimed he was a pervert and challenged him to a kendo match! The winner gets to claim Kyoko!"

Internally, I rolled my eyes. It was no secret that Mochida had his eyes on Kyoko, even for me when I generally paid no attention to such matters. It seemed like it had all come down to masculine pride again.

Aloud, I questioned, "No teachers or any adults know about it?"

Kaede shook her head as if she was on a sugar high, her eyes practically glowing with what she was about to share. "Of course not! None of the staff or adults know, it's all student-secret! Hush, hush, you know?" She seemed positively thrilled at the fact it was kept between students, as if she was a type of undercover spy for her classmates. "I heard that the fight was going to be rigged as well, so Mochida-senpai had a complete chance for winning!"

I felt my eyes tighten considerably at the mention of it being rigged. I despised unfair fights. What was the point of having an "honorable battle" when you just went and put in your favor?

"Well of course, it shouldn't be rigged in the first place," sneered Hinari from the side. I was about to snap my head to stare at her in shock, that _her _of all places said that, but then she continued with, "It's _Dame-Tsuna _that senpai is against! He can win even without it being a trashed fight!"

I clench my fist, taking several deep breaths through my nose. It was sickening at how much everyone insulted Tsuna, how they held him in such contempt. The fact that Mochida was even making the fight on his favor, and his kendo members _went with it_, just served to trigger my temper. This was all against honor amongst people. Tsuna was not my friend, nor would I ever consider him one. He was just a classmate and acquaintance, nothing more, so I won't do anything unless it becomes serious, but I was still severely pissed.

Nobody should be treated the way he was.

"Excuse me," I forced out through clenched teeth, "but I want to go throw away my trash."

Kaede nodded, and scoot away to chatter with another group. Hinari threw me a sneer over her shoulder as she went back to telling an over exaggerated story. Now that attention was off me, I made my escape. I swiftly threw away my garbage, and when nobody was looking, slipped away.

* * *

With an exhausted sigh, and let myself sprawl out on the grass underneath a familiar cherry tree. I shoved my face in my arms, my book press against my side. I didn't want to read right now, oddly enough. I was pondering if I should go to the fight or not.

_'Is it worth it?' _I asked myself. _'It isn't as if I can do anything, or want to. I'm sure Tsuna can handle the fight himself. And from what I've seen of him, he'll probably just forfeit or run away despite everyone pressuring him to fight.'_

So, what was the point when no fight would happen at all?

That was what I told myself, but I knew I couldn't help but worry for my classmate underneath. Even when I convinced myself that Mochida would let it go, and claim Kyoko as his "prize girlfriend", I knew it wouldn't be that easy.

There was no way, because that wasn't how it works when boys - _I seriously can't consider them men, of all things _- feel their pride has been wounded. It was like an alpha male defending his territory from unwelcome visitors.

There was also something else that was disturbing me. Kaede had said that Mochida explained that the prize for the winner was _Kyoko_. Girls weren't a prize, or an item that could be won through some stupid fight. I truly felt bad for the ginger-haired classmate of mine, to have a liking taken to you by one of the worst kids in school.

One of the bonuses of me trying to meld with everyone else was that no guys noticed me because I didn't stand out. I was proud of that fact, I didn't want any worthless pups chasing after me.

I wasn't confident enough in myself to believe any guy would notice me anyway. I didn't want the spotlight, so that worked perfectly fine with how I tried to weave around everyone like a shadow.

The key word here, however, is _try_. Despite my best efforts, Hinari seemed to find me and drag me with her. I didn't put up a resistance because I knew she'd go tattling on a teacher. I didn't want to risk expulsion or suspension on such a reckless move.

It wasn't as if they pay me much mind anyway. If I didn't speak, nobody knew I was there, so in a way it worked out. I was just having much more difficulty avoiding the dark, accusing gaze of Hinari. I don't know what caused her to have a sudden interest in me, but I didn't like it.

I hated being forced into things, and I was extremely independent. It took all of my restraint not to throw in the towel and let my temper get the best of me.

I sat up, leaning against the thick, aged trunk of the tree as several cherry petals float leisurely down to the earth. I shake my head clean of the worries, because really, there was no point in stressing out. There was always a solution, and it'd come with time. It was just take a _lot _of patience in the long run, because from the looks of it, I wouldn't be able to shake off Hinari any time soon.

* * *

I was about to take a step outside from the classroom, my bag slung over my shoulder, when voices outside the door made me pause.

"Whoa," someone drawled, "You can't go yet! Mochida-senpai is waiting for you in the dojo!"

My eyes found themselves narrowing slightly in disgust. It wasn't going to be that easy for Tsuna to get away after all, because Mochida seemed to of sent his henchmen to make sure the "loser Tsuna" made sure to come for their duel.

There was some loud shuffling, than a high-pitched squeak coming from a familiar voice. "WAIT!" Tsuna squealed, "WAIT!"

There was several pairs of rambunctious laughter, and a few of the kendo members said, "Off to the dojo!"

After the steps were tromping down the hall, I made my way out the door, and recognized Kyoko with some other girls I didn't know crowded around her.

Kaede stepped up, and said to Kyoko, "Mochida-senpai is avenging the disrespect you were treated with yesterday!" she chirped, and Kyoko responded with an intelligent, "Huh?" and a confused look.

"He said, 'I won't forgive anyone for making Kyoko cry!'" another girl, Damika Ayame, said in a girly, love-struck tone.

Kyoko's face burned red, and she retorted at them weakly, "That's... I'm _just _in the same leadership class as him! _And I didn't cry_!"

I felt bad for the girl when they began shoving her towards the dojo with the rest of the class running behind them. Excitement seemed to ripple through them all.

"Go, go, go!"

"Let's go watch! How exciting!"

I watched them with a dull gaze. Anger ripped through me at the blatant display of how they giggled and laughed, obviously excited to see Tsuna get his ass whipped. It pissed me off, their behavior. It was hard to believe that an honor code was even existing with how they acted.

I started when I realized my hand had been clenched, crescent nail marks carved in my left palm. I lift my hand, inspecting them, before shaking out my hand once with an irritated expression.

"Why are you standing around like an idiot, Azami?" an agitated voice asked severely.

I couldn't suppress the surprised flinch that slipped onto my face, and I whirled around with my fists raised and muscles tense in a defensive position. In front of me stood Hinari, a eyebrow perched up in a mocking way at my posture.

Another hot wave of frustration ran through my system, scalding my veins, and with great difficulty swallowed it down. _'What does this bitch want from me?!' _I hissed in my mind.

When I didn't reply, she snorted. "Obviously, you don't know you either. Well, come on. You need to witness this fight, because you never know when it might happen to you."

I bit my lip, tasting metallic blood in my mouth, as she grabbed my arm and jerked me forward to walk with her to the dojo. The phrasing of her words didn't bother me until much later, but for now, I was overrun by my emotions.

The doors to the dojo were burst open, and instantly the idle conversations that'd taken up the building fell into a tense silence as everyone's gaze snapped to the direction of the noisy slam.

Two kendo members were behind an apparently nervous Tsuna, whose eyes were trying to look everywhere but the intimidating figure of Kensuke Mochida dressed in his kendo gear.

"There you are, you hentai_**[1] **_stalker!" Mochida snarled at Tsuna. I swore a vein was popping on his temple at the mere sight of the boy.

Mochida's grip tightened on his sword, and he bit out, "God might forgive a piece of shit like you.. but I won't!"

I couldn't force back the snort that flew past my lips at his words. He was certainly an arrogant ass, wasn't he? I wasn't surprised at his words, no, it just boiled my raging emotions more.

I missed the several surprised and confused glances the people around me threw over their shoulder in my direction.

Tsuna's eyes grew wide, and his hands went into the air, waving frantically as he shrieked, "Oh no!"

"Don't worry," Mochida smirked, "The rules are simple so even a person like you can understand. You're a novice at kendo, so if you can get a point off of me, you win! If you can't," here his sneer darkened into a much more malicious look, "Then I win."

I could see the beads of sweat rolling down Tsuna's face, and I couldn't really blame him. If I was in his position, with his skills, I'd be just as nervous.

"The prize is of course," Mochida announced, "Sasagawa Kyoko!" He directed his sword towards the mentioned girl, a look of shock, irritation, and understanding glazing her honey-brown eyes.

"P-Prize?" she burst out, the girl leaning towards her classmate and long-time friend, Kurokawa Hana.

"Jerk," Hana muttered, a twisted and pissed off look on her sour face.

I watched as Mochida seemed to zone out, and when Tsuna made his escape with a rushed, "I have to go to the bathroom!" excuse. I did feel a small sense of relief when he left the dojo.

"What a coward," Hinari insult next to me, "but nobody expected less of _Dame-Tsuna_."

My eyes narrowed at her words, and even further at the agreeing laughs that erupt next to her.

"Eh? Where's Sawada?" I heard Mochida ask in shock. It seemed he was finally done day-dreaming.

"He said he wanted to go to the bathroom," a kendo member explained, "so I let him go."

_'Thank goodness for their stupidity,' _I thought to myself. Though I did feel a sense of relief that Tsuna was gone now... there was no denying the slight disappointment that Tsuna didn't stick up for himself.

_'There's no point in denying it anymore,' _I thought, _'I can't believe I'm saying this but... he really is a Dame.' _Near immediately I felt of rush of shame course through my system for demeaning someone, but it was true. He hadn't bothered to show them that even though he was pathetic, he could still take a challenge and try to gain his own honor back.

"So I get a forfeit win!" Mochida roared in triumph. "Kyoko is mine!"

Several voices whispered amongst themselves at the new declaration, and the outcome of the "match."

"What a dirty senpai," a boy whispered to his friends.

"I thought senpai were smarter," another whispered back dejectedly.

"Can't say I expected anything else from that Dame.."

The gossip was abruptly withdrawn from everyone's breath when the dojo door cracked open, and Tsuna stood there in his underwear with his fists raised, a wild look in his eyes. I would lie if I said I wasn't a bit shaken at his eyes, they were almost glowing a bright, vivid orangey-brown with a fierceness I'd only seen on yukaza_**[2]**_ and the disciplinary prefect.

I was also left in bafflement, asking why he was in his _underwear _of all things to wear. "READY!" Tsuna hollered, "BATTLE!"

Many "What is going on?!", "Whoa!", and exclamations were heard throughout the dojo. Mochida glared at his newly-regained opponent, and I couldn't help the smirk that danced across my lips. _'That's what you get, Mochida.'_

"HENTAI!" was screamed out by the girls and guys alike, and a group of girls shouted, "KYAA! NO!"

"This is your armor," two kendo guys said, lifting up the aforementioned piece of gear. You had to give them some props for not freaking out at the new display like everyone else. Though... _'Why is it taking two people to hold up some basic gear?' _I thought with narrowed eyes.

Tsuna ran right past with speed and stamina I knew he didn't have before, and from everyone's falling jaws, they knew he didn't have it earlier either.

Mochida took one good look at Tsuna, before he doubled over in roaring laughter.

"PFF," Mochida threw his head back laughing, "Only an _idiot _would run in naked!"

Slightly regaining his composure, Mochida reared the wooden sword high, bringing it down on the charging boy. "Did you think I'd hold back?" he jeered, "Eat this you peon!"

The sword smacked against Tsuna's forehead with a resounding crack, and I flinched at the disgusting noise. When Tsuna didn't fall, unconscious or in pain otherwise, I narrowed my eyes.

Only for them to widen drastically when I noticed a pale, very faint flickering orange flame dancing on his forehead. That had not been there before, and if it had, everyone else would of noticed it.

I glanced around cautiously, wondering if I was the only one in the dojo who could see the burning flame.

Tsuna's forehead snapped the sword in half, and he head-butt Mochida to the floor so he was standing over the knocked over kendo captain.

Many gasps were heard, and a kendo member called out in disbelief, "Mountain position?! What's he going to do?"

Tsuna raised his hand in the air in a chop-like formation, and immediately I recognized it. _'He's going for a point,' _I deducted, the kids around me shouting out the same, _'He's going to hit the place in the armor.'_

Everyone was stunned into silence when instead of hitting the spot, Tsuna ripped off a huge chunk of Mochida's hair. "I got it!" Tsuna yelled, "Hyakupon!_**[3]**_"

A cry of pain escaped Mochida's lips, and a new bald spot shone on the front of his forehead.

Cheers suddenly rang through the room, everyone now vouching for Tsuna. "That's smart, Tsuna!" a glass-wearing boy called with a laugh, "He never said you had to hit the spot on the armor!"

Tsuna shoved the bundle of hair in the direction of the referee, shouting, "HOW'S THIS?"

The referee merely squeaked, and I finally put together the fact that the referee, even if Tsuna hit the spot on the armor, would of never counted the point.

My hands rolled into fists, and I ranted in my head, _'Those little fricking bastards! They're cheapskates, all of them! They're too scared of Tsuna to even play a fair and honorable fight like the sore losers they are!'_

"Damn it!" Tsuna cursed. I was more than startled to hear a curse pass the boy's lips, for he seemed too timid and anxious to really do so. _'Then again..' _ I thought, staring at the slowly bolding, crazed orange flame, _'It might have something to do with that.'_

In a frenzy, Tsuna ripped a handful by a handful of hair painfully from Mochida's head until there was no hair left, and it was all clumped in his fist. He shoved it in the referee's face as Mochida cried pathetically on the floor, demanding the points be counted. I couldn't help but feel a strong rush of satisfaction that Mochida now lay, whimpering, on the floor.

"RED!" the referee screeched, before he threw down the raised flag and cowered away from Tsuna.

I watched in slight awe as the flame withered and disappeared, leaving a slight black mark on Tsuna's forehead. His eyes returned to their abnormally huge doe-brown, though a few traces of orange remained within, making it a more caramel color. The ferocity he'd shown was long gone, and instead was the puzzlement, terror, and usual anxiety.

There was a silence, than people rushed to Tsuna, cheering for the boy.

"Amazing! He actually won!"

"I have a newfound respect!" someone dramatically sobbed in a corner, a friend awkwardly patting their back.

"It felt good to watch, great job Dame-Tsuna!"

Tsuna was staring down at his hands in wonderment, and happiness seemed to flood his vision as he realized what he had just done.

As I made my way down, I watched as everyone parted so Kyoko could talk to Tsuna.

She gave him a bow, and he responded with a small, "eh?"

"I'm sorry for getting scared and running away yesterday," she apologized profusely, "my friends tell me a lot that I don't know when to laugh."

She then straightened, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "You are incredible," she beamed, "Like, you're not some average guy!"

Tsuna looked as if he'd been struck by lightning, emotions a tornado storming through his eyes.

As I gave a last look behind me at the celebrating people, I let a small, genuine smile adorn my face.

_'Good job, Tsunayoshi.'_

* * *

_If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change._

_**-Wayne Dyer**_

* * *

**[1] **_Hentai _- it basically means "perverted" or "pervert" in Japanese when translated to English.

**[2] **_Yukaza_ - Japanese gangs

**[3] **_Hyakupon _- it's a play on words in Japanese, meaning "a hundred off" for gaining a point in kendo.

**A/N: **I rewrote this chapter majorly, as you can see. I think it's a lot better, and the personality for Azami being much more clear. And yea, Hinari _will _have a pretty important role in the future, but other than that I'm not telling you anything else. Have fun guessing~ Also, with the Dying Will flame, I never really knew if only certain people could see it. So, I decided to make it so nobody but certain others could see it, such as though related to the mafia or those with good instincts or intuition. I remade it so she doesn't meet Reborn quite yet, but she will soon, no worries! I even decided to double-update for you guys! Please R&R what you thought!

**ForeverinWonderland - **Actually, you weren't that harsh. I really appreciate the review, because you gave me that (possibly unintentional) idea on how to rewrite and go about the story! Thanks so much, even if you didn't mean to give me any ideas but advice. Your one review helped a ton! Kudos and cookies!  
_**This follows the manga, NOT the anime! You have been warned!**_


	3. Three - Effort

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.  
****I solely own Miyamoto Azami and any OCs that appear.**

***CHAPTER TWO WAS REWRITTEN, SO PLEASE GO BACK AND READ!***

_"Jinja no kibu ni kokoro no kotoba."_

* * *

[ _Effort _]

* * *

Everyone had been in a hype since the fight against Mochida. It was refreshing for me to see Tsuna walk into class without everyone mocking him, but instead greeting him like another human being. I still kept my respectful distance, maybe besides the occasional chat with the boy.

There wasn't much to talk to him with, anyway. I'd seen several people try to get him to hang out with them, so I let the events run their course. It was nice to see him fitting in.

I was experiencing more difficulty on my side of the issue. Ever since the fight, Hinari has been watching me even more than she had been. One moment, I'd be independently finishing my homework while everyone chat, and the next thing I knew she had me by the wrist and dragging me somewhere or another. It was frustrating and tasking, keeping up and trying to hide from that girl.

And there was one thing that had been really bugging me since the fight. Something she'd said before she'd taken me with her. "_You need to witness this fight, because you never know when it might happen to you." _

She had told me that, and after everything had died down, I began to realize there was a type of double-meaning to the words. It might of even had to do with Tsuna's odd behavior during the fight, and that strange orange flame. As soon as the thought had come, however, I brushed it off because there was no way. Hinari couldn't of known that would happen.

I also wouldn't deny I was more cautious of Tsuna now, not in a fearful way, but I was watching and waiting, trying to see if that flame would come again. It has yet to reappear, but something tells me I just need to be patient and everything will make sense.

Of course, seeing as how slow this was moving, I was beginning to doubt my usually-reliable instincts. I guess the longer you wait the sweeter reward. Is that how it goes? I can't recall it fully.

With a slight shake of my head to knock off my thoughts, I pulled out my book and decided to immerse myself with some reading. I had plenty of time to think on such matters later.

* * *

"-that was... er... ask Miyamoto-chan to do it!" Tsuna yelped. My head snapped up from my book at the sound of my name, and I met the anxious eyes of one Tsunayoshi.

They narrowed dangerously at him, and he shrieked as he backed away and hid behind the boy in front of him. My eyes darkened and developed a violent twitch when I realized the guy Tsuna was hiding behind was Takehiko Hige_**[1]**_. Hige was an annoying kid from the next class who was always trying to be my friend. It was only because he thought I was his "bodyguard" ever since I helped him _one time _to escape some bullies.

He had long since become a nuisance. And right now it sounded like Tsuna had just tried to sell him my soul.

Hige seemed to slump at Tsuna's words, and I barely heard him mutter, "She already refused."

Refused..? He must mean the volleyball tournament. I turned my gaze away from them, deciding to listen in. If Tsuna was going to do something again, I wanted to be there. I was curious about that fire of his.

"So... Please Sawada!" Hige begged, and I heard him clap his hands together. "You looked seriously amazing when you beat Mochida-senpai! Lend us that strength!"

"B-But.."

"Come on! I'm begging you, please! We really want to win!"

There was a rather long silence, and at first I thought Tsuna would refuse. I began to return to my book, now done with eavesdropping, when Tsuna hesitantly said, "Then.. I guess I'll do it."

In surprise, I flickered my eyes to my peripheral vision and watched as Haru straightened from the bow position he'd been in. "Seriously?!" Hige shouted. "If the hero that beat senpai joins us, we have nothing to fear!"

Inwardly, I snorted. While Tsuna did have a much better reputation now, one person couldn't make that much of a difference. There was something odd going on around Tsuna, and if I had to spend time to go to a volleyball game to find out, so be it.

"Alright!" Tsuna smiled, "Leave it to me!"

* * *

I tilt my head, watching as the scene played out. Kyoko entered the gym, Tsuna trailing behind her. He wasn't in that strange attitude of his, still clothed and his regular doe eyes.

"Yo! Our incredible ringer is here!" a regular chuckled, throwing his arm around Tsuna's shoulders. Tsuna gave him a shocked glance, and a small squeak escaped the boy's mouth.

"God , making us anxious," another guy tsk in false anger.

"Go Tsuna!" the crowd surrounding my cheered, and someone was even holding up a poster with Tsuna's name on it. I watched in bemusement as they swung it around, knowing someone was going to get hurt eventually.

Someone slipped, and like dominos people fell over and the sign fell with a crash on the ground.

I sighed. _'Knew that was going to happen.'_

I turned my attention to when the volleyball game started, and I couldn't deny the eagerness that ran through my system as I waited, observing. Was it going to happen again?

"Curiosity killed the cat, Azami," the very familiar voice of Hinari pulled me out of my thoughts, and I turned to look at the girl. She was dressed in loose-fitting PE clothes today, something that surprised me. Her usual sneer reside on her lips, however, but something like an almost nostalgic expression was resting on her face. I was a bit puzzled by that, but I decided to ignore it for now.

"And satisfaction brought it back," I retort back.

She gave a loud beat of laughter, and while her shoulders shook with forced mirth, she said, "Quite a way with words, Azami! Never knew you had it in you. I thought you were too much an idiot in that lost space of a brain."

I glared at her, opened my mouth to retort, when a grunt of pain echoed through the area. Distracted, I turned my attention to the game and saw people whispering among themselves, confused. Tsuna sat on his bottom, on the ground, his face trembling in what looked like pain and fear.

"What happened?" someone asked.

"I don't know," another replied, "It seems that Tsuna isn't as great as we thought."

Not discouraged, the volleyball regulars continued. "Coming your way Tsuna!" one of them warned, getting into their position.

Tsuna seemed to panic, throwing his hands to try and hit the ball, only to have it smack into his stomach and knock him over again. He stood up, a hand holding his stomach, as disbelieving whispers went around.

"I can't believe _he _beat Mochida-senpai..." a girl muttered angrily. She was probably a fangirl.

"What happened to that strength he'd showed before?" a guy asked loudly for everyone to hear.

Tsuna's face seemed to deadpan, and his eyes showed absolute misery.

Two regulars turned on Tsuna, one demanding, "Tsuna, do you even want to play?!"

"Get it together!" another snapped.

"Sorry," Tsuna replied timidly, but that didn't stop the insults from erupting.

"We're playing seriously!"

"You're holding us down!" someone griped, yanking at their hair in frustration.

Hige, standing next to Tsuna, said as if he just realized, "You really are Dame-Tsuna after all."

The game continued on like that, Tsuna getting served to with him failing to return it, or him serving and tripping over himself. By the end of the first set, the regulars were steaming with anger and glaring at Tsuna.

Tsuna took a step away from them, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, as the crowd became to gossip with anger. "It's outrageous," Hinari growled from next to me, "at just how useless that idiot can be. I was right all along, that fight with Mochida was just an act."

Several noises of agreement rose from everyone else, and I did my best to ignore them. Something wasn't right, there was another thick presence in the room. I couldn't tell _where_, but whatever it was sent alarm bells off in my head. I kept glancing about, eyes narrowing in places it seemed thickest, and then it just vanished.

_'What is that...' _I thought in frustration.

"What's he doing? Cutting out again?" someone snorted, unsurprised.

I lift my head from my thoughts at that, noticing Tsuna walking away from the gym. He seemed to limp a little bit on one of his legs, but the way the limp faltered to a normal walk then was pushed to limp again proved it fake.

"What's that idiot doing?" I muttered.

A break occurred, and everyone disbanded to get some water or use the restroom. I decided to go up to the top floor. I made my way up the stairs, and swung my legs over the railing. My eyes flickered from side to side, taking in the gym and court as much as I could.

_'Something is going to happen soon,' _I noted the tension on the court. _'Whether or not it's good or bad, only time will tell. Something tells me Tsuna will be the one to decide that.'_

"Ciaossu," a squeaky, young voice greet.

I started, snapping my head around and glaring dangerously at whoever had snuck up on me. My shoulders were squared, but they slowly fell in confusion as I met the dark eyes of a two-year-old infant.

"What..?" I questioned dumbly.

"I'm Reborn," the baby introduced with a smirk, "Dame-Tsuna's home tutor."

My confusion went even further. "How are you, a two year old, a _tutor_? And how do you have such articulate language?"

The baby's smirk widened. "I'm a hitman, Miyamoto Azami."

_'Hitman...?' _I took in his appearance. He was like a little kid playing dress-up. He was wearing a black suit, a pale yellow dress shirt underneath. A matching black tie was fit snugly underneath the tuxedo he wore, and a fedora rests comfortably on his black hair. His sideburns were oddly curled, and bounced when he moved. On his hat was a green type of lizard, whom stared at me and blinked its disorienting amber eyes several times at rapid speed.

He might of seemed childish but... his eyes. They scared me. They weren't like a child's, they were blank and emotionless. There were dark shadows lurking in their depths, ones that showed someone much older than their appearance.

I opened my mouth and managed to say, "How did you know my name?"

Reborn just shrugged and said smugly, "Information gathering is a basic skill for a hitman."

On that note, Reborn jumped on the railing next to me. The lizard resting on the visor of his fedora crawled down to his hand, and it glowed multicolored. Next thing I knew, a sniper rifle was held in the baby's hand, and my eyes widened in shock.

"As long as you understand..." the baby murmured, aiming the sniper rifle downwards. I followed his line of sight, and my face turned into shock as I saw Tsuna right in his site. I was about to stop him, but it was too late and he fired two shots.

My mouth hung open, and I watched as Tsuna's face twisted in pain, and his legs buckled underneath him. _'No...' _I turned on the baby, eyes narrowed and nostrils flaring.

_"What the fuck?!" _I snarled. "Why does a _fucking baby _like you have a gun and why did you just shoot Tsuna-san for no reason?"

Reborn gave me a dull face, and simply said, "Watch."

I looked down, anger still furrowing my brow, and slowly my face slacked into shock as Tsuna stood up, staring at his legs in puzzlement with a small frown on his face. I followed his gaze and noticed two bullet holes on each of his thigh.

_'Just what is going on here...' _I thought, glancing at the blank-faced Reborn whom sat next to me.

"Here it comes Tsuna!" a regular shouted. "Block!"

Tsuna stood up, throwing his hands in the air, and jumped. "O-Okay!" he called back, squeezing his eyes shut. Everyone watched in shock as he jumped higher than the net, and my own eyes went huge.

The ball came and it was blocked, though I had to wince in sympathy when the volleyball hit him right on his nuts. Many gasps and exclamations rang through the air, pain from the males and surprise from the girls.

He fell to the ground, wreathing in pain, but soon got back up, and the game went to the team's favor.

When it ended, I turned my gaze down to Reborn, and when I opened my mouth to demand some answers, I was left at seeing an empty space at where Reborn once had been.

* * *

_If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't truly living._

_-Gail Sheehy_

* * *

**[1] **_Takehiko Hige _is just a random name I made up for the guy who asked Tsuna to replace the regular spot for the volleyball team in the manga. I wanted something to call him. He will most likely never show up again, though. If he does, it would be a quickly added thing. I'm not planning on using him in the future.

**A/N: **I rewrote this chapter so many times. So. Many. Times. I decided this version was pretty good, and managed to squeeze in a brief encounter with Reborn. This part of the chapter was mainly just to show how Tsuna had captured her interest a bit with his Dying Will flames, and now Reborn has just tightened her curiosity. This chapter I highly considered skipping to another event, but decided it'd be a good characterization moment to build up on some things, and to get Reborn here into the show. Enjoy!

_**This fanfiction follows the manga, NOT the anime! You have been warned!**_


	4. Four - Stressing Situations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.  
I solely own Miyamoto Azami and any mentioned OCs.**

**(Warning: some mild cursing, and rather long A/N at the bottom.)**

* * *

_"Jinja no kibu ni kokoro no kotoba."_

* * *

[ _Stressing Situations_]

* * *

I awoke, groaning, when the familiar ringing of my cell phone blared in my ears. I sat up, rubbing one of my eyes absently as I reached for the source of the disturbance. With a tap to the screen, I put the phone up to my ear and said lazily into the speaker, "Yeah?"

As a familiar voice relay its news to me, my eyes gradually grew wider, and I lurched up from my bed so I was sitting up. My blanket pooled around my waist, and my hand's grip unconsciously tightened around the device.

Eyes twice their normal size, I yelped a significantly awakened, "What?!"

* * *

I drug myself to my desk, and smack my forehead into it with a dull thud. I'd been too shell-shocked from this morning's abrupt call to notice how late it'd been, and when I was finally roused from my stupor from a holler coming out of my mom's mouth, I'd scrambled to get ready for school.

I'd just barely made it, sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me, and here I was now with my stomach growling greedily for a breakfast it wasn't granted.

Another slightly uncomfortable twinge and faint grumble made me grind my forehead into the wood of my desk with a small groan. _'Why can't it just shut up?' _I groused mentally.

I near fell asleep in class, something I've never done before, until the teacher's voice cut through the class after the bell rang. "Class! We have a new student today!" I heard the teacher say in a lower volume to the side, "Please come in Gokudera-san."

At the name and mention, I lift my head up curiously, resting my chin on the surface of my seat and keeping a close eye on the boy that entered the room. He had shoulder-length silver hair, some strands poking around loosely. He had a light but meaningful scowl on his face, an aura around him practically screaming, "Go away and leave me alone." His shirt was purposefully unbuttoned, showing a white cotton shirt underneath, and some metal accessories clinked around his neck when he shifted. He had radiant green eyes that glared harshly at nobody in particular.

Wait... I followed his pointed line of sight, and the first person that caught my eye in the direction it was aimed was Tsuna. I looked back towards the new boy, puzzlement no doubt marring my features.

"This is Gokudera Hayato," the teacher said, effectively reminding me to stop drifting and pay attention until class was over as he spoke. "He was studying overseas in Italy, and now he's transferred here."

Quiet, and not-so-quiet, squeals of girls echo in the room noisily, and it took all my willpower not to smash my head onto my desk again. I twitched at the pain that rung in my ears, sighing deeply through my nose at the comments they all whispered to each other excitedly.

"Hey, isn't he just hot?" Kaede asked me, and I started slightly, glancing over my shoulder to see her grinning her predatory smile with her hazel eyes twinkling with unguarded mischief and lewd thoughts.

I made a small face, wrinkling my nose. "No," I whisper, "He looks like every other face here, just foreign." She seemed to dramatically collapse against the back of her chair, staring at me with a look of horror, as another girl beside her said fervently, "Don't insult Gokudera-kun!"

I rolled my eyes to the side, before turning back to the front. My eyebrows shot up as I noticed that Hayato_**[1] **_was walking ominously towards Tsuna, his glower darkening by the second as he got closer.

Beads of sweat decorated my classmate's face, rolling down his cheeks as he stared anxiously at the approaching student, seemingly shrinking into himself.

"Gokudera-san, your seat is over... Gokudera-san?" the puzzled voice of the teacher called from the front. It was too late, though, for Hayato was already on the move.

With a harsh scowl, Hayato jerked his knee up and slammed it into the bottom of Tsuna's desk, and Tsuna shrieked, yelling, "ITAI!_**[2]**_" as he wobbled back in his chair shakily. Neither him, his chair, or his desk fell over, though some pencils and pens scattered from his desk onto the floor.

Hayato seemed to scoff, saying a dark, "Tch." The boy turned and lumbered to his real seat, hands shoved into his pockets. The glare he'd had on his face was less scary now, but it was still intimidating, and several students scoot a few feet away from the dubbed delinquent. The more brain-dead girls only seemed to squeal and fangirl at his "bad boy" antics.

My eyebrows were practically disappearing into my hairline at this point, and I muttered, "What's his problem? Tsuna didn't do anything to him."

A harsh beat of laughter mock my ears, and I whirled and met the dark eyes of Hinari. Her usual sneer was on her face, and she simply said to my look, "Tsuna doesn't _have _to do anything. He's Dame-Tsuna, after all. Just his mere _presence _pisses everyone off."

I couldn't help the slight growl that wisp past my lips, but I turned away and didn't continue or end the argument. I couldn't really argue with her, because there were some aspects on Tsuna that _were _dame, and everyone knew it.

Still, I couldn't prevent the small apology I mentally gave to the bullied classmate, because my conscience would of nagged me all day if I didn't at least do that.

"He has to be a gangster," I heard a boy say in his friend's ear. Turning to Tsuna, he asked not-so-quietly, "Do you know him, Tsuna?"

"No, I don't," Tsuna's miserable voice whimpered in reply.

"But that's what's good," Kaede swooned dreamily.

Her friend, Ayame, nodded in agreement, chirping, "It's numbing, not scary."

"Looks like we've decided on forming a fan club," Hinari seemed to smirk, and I instantly felt bad for the new student. If Hinari was going to be leading the fan club, he was going to be in for a ton of torture. Hinari didn't know the meaning of "no".

I ignored the seemingly random, piercing glare I felt Hinari shoot at me.

* * *

"Geez, what's with that transfer student?"

I look up from packing my things into my school bag, noting it was Tsuna who'd spoken. The boy had his arms behind his head, a small, uneasy expression held on his face. I felt a twinge of sympathy for the boy, but brushed it off. I pull out my lunch, setting it on my desk.

"I just can't go along with that kind of behavior," Tsuna sighed. I repressed a snort. _'Neither can the rest of us.' _I paused, and glanced in the direction of the plotting fan club. _'Well, most of us.'_

I heard a faint bump noise, cloth rubbing against cloth, and something solid bumping into a chair leg, and glanced over once again. Tsuna was stumbling a bit on his toes, and three upperclassmen were towering over the short boy.

"Oops," one with a tattered scarf draped around his neck sneered, "I might of broken a bone."

"Ouch," another with a dark green and black dragon tattoo crawling up his arm growled mockingly.

The last one, his ears and nose covered in multiple piercings, merely smirked and cracked his knuckles.

Tsuna paled, and he turned and fled, screeching, "Sorry! I'm really, really, really sorry!" as he made his exit. My head shook gently at the usual antics of my classmate, but I decided he'd be okay. The seniors were still in the classroom, and seemed to have no intention of chasing him down.

I pick up my lunch box, and prepared to make my exit to the roof. I wanted some peace away from everyone, and seeing as most were staying down here in class, I believed this would be my escape.

Of course, I was delayed. I mentally cursed my luck when a smooth hand clamp around my bicep, nails digging into my skin tightly, but not with enough force to leave any marks.

I turned around, and instantly recognized the prideful stance and black hair of Hinari. I carefully blanked my face as she drag me to a further side of the room, and decided I'd see just what the girl even wanted from me. Even though she was turned away, I got the eerie feeling she was watching my every move and flicker on my expression. It was fairly disturbing.

When we were out of hearing range from the others, she spun to face me, her dark eyes appraising me with her usual superior look. "Where were you trying to escape, Azami?" she interrogated, eyes narrowed.

A spark of anger flicker inside me, and I damped it down forcefully. "I wasn't escaping," I replied robotically, "I was going to have lunch with Kaede."

Her eyebrow raised disbelievingly, she gave me one of her sarcastic smiles. "Really?" she inquired, "Then why is it that Kaede is over there with no intentions of moving?"

I froze, and I opened my mouth to try and amend on my poorly-made excuse, but nothing came out. I was sure I looked like a gaping fish with the way my jaw hung in the air. She sniffed haughtily, throwing her nose up.

"I thought so," she remarked. "That brain of yours is too dead to make any good reasons, so it was obvious that you were trying to escape." The hand I didn't realize was still holding onto my arm then clench, and I winced at the sharp nails that cut into my skin. "Pathetic."

My own scowl began to shine its way through, and I wrench my arm from her grasp. That spark was flickering madly, and the dampener I was trying to frantically press over it was beginning to burn.

Hinari's face turned into something dark, but for whatever reason it didn't make me angrier, but instead it made me tense. I couldn't decipher just what the look was, but it made me wary of the girl.

"Be careful, Azami," she said in a hushed tone, "you never know what might come and strike you in the dark. The pieces are almost in place."

I opened my mouth to question just _what _Hinari was nagging about, anger and irritation beginning to build once more, but she shoved me away from her, and when she looked up from her hair shadowing her eyes, she was back to her sneering self. No more of the shadowed person remained.

"Get going, you ungrateful little bitch," she hissed, "and get out of my sight. If you're so eager to escape, I'll give you a day off." Here, she seemed to smirk menacingly. "Don't expect any mercy next time, got it?"

I growled at her, hand stiffening as I tried to suppress the urge to smack her between the eyes. There was thick hostility streaming between us, but I flipped around and dart out the class doors swiftly. I wasn't going to continue arguing a pointless fight I didn't even understand.

* * *

Upon the roof, I was laying on my back, staring at the endlessly blue sky. I envied that sky, the freedom it owned. Sometimes, I had that constricted feeling in my chest, a force tying me back. I didn't know how to fight it, and eventually I accepted I couldn't.

Yet, the sky was huge and wide. It was by itself, controlling the weather, taming wild storms at their fiercest so that the storms stay up above.

I started when a rattling boom rung in the air, and I leapt to my feet in shock. It seemed the peace was ruined once again.

I snap my head around, trying to locate the source, and when another explosion rocked the air with a crackle, I noticed a brief glow of fiery colors. I raced over to the side, leaning over the side and trying to find the source. My eyes flickered from place to place, and I noticed two figures facing each other.

I was shocked beyond belief when I recognized the wild brown hair of Tsuna, and the shocking silver of the new student Hayato. Tsuna was laying on the ground on his bottom, and though I couldn't see any details from my height and view, I imagined his eyes were hugely rounded. Scorch marks were burnt into the ground, and I couldn't help but wonder just what caused such a force.

When Hayato pulled out three sticks from his jacket, I tried to see them clearer. I wish I'd brought my glasses today. Hayato flipped one up towards his mouth, and I noticed he had a cigarette in his mouth.

Shocked, I watched him light it with the light on the cigarette, and he threw them to the ground at Tsuna. They exploded on impact, and Tsuna ran from them, him shrieking incoherent words as he fled.

_'Hayato is throwing _dynamite_?!' _I thought, bewildered. When Tsuna fell down again, Hayato reaching into his jacket for what was probably more dynamite, I turned tail and sprint down the stairs.

I flinched when I heard a distant gunshot, and only made myself go down faster. _'Please, please make it on time,' _I thought desperately. I wouldn't - _couldn't _- let anyone die, witnessing the beginning of a slaughter, and not do anything.

I didn't want to be that useless ever again. Not like before.

I made it to the last step, and slammed open the door, and began to sprint towards the explosions.

"REBORN!" I heard a voice bellow. "I'LL PUT OUT THE FUSES WITH MY DYING WILL!"

_'Dying Will?' _I thought incredibly. _'What is happening over there?'_

"What?!" the voice of Hayato exclaimed, hoarser than it had been.

"Defuse! Defuse! Defuse!" the loud voice that'd screamed before shout, and I heard Hayato say, "Triple Bomb!"

Then a rather abrupt curse said, "SHIT!"

I turned the corner sharply, and veered to a stop when I drank in the sight before me, panting heavily with sweat dripping down my face from the exertion. Tsuna was jumping all over the place, smashing his hands over the fuses of the dynamite scattered all around Hayato. Hayato himself was breathing heavily, green eyes staring in shock and disbelief.

My eyes narrowed minutely when I took note that Tsuna was once again out of personality, only dressed in his underwear with those contracted orange-tinged eyes. That raging orange fire that'd been on his forehead was even bolder than the first time I'd seen it during Mochida's fight, this time clear like it was always there.

In my shock, I forgot just why I was there, and watched the scene play before me as I slowly regained breath. I was unaware of the pair of dark eyes observing me intently.

The flame on Tsuna's head shriveled and then vanished, his forehead unblemished, and his eyes once more their normal caramel color. All the bombs scattered about were defused, no longer a threat to the two boys. Tsuna sat on his knees, and he reached up and wipe some sweat off his forehead in relief.

"Whew," he breathed, "Somehow.. I made it."

Hayato then fell on his own knees, and he slammed his forehead down into the dirt, a groveling position and deep bow of respect.

"I was mistaken!" Hayato demurred, "You're the one who is fit to be the boss!"

Tsuna's eyes bulged, and he turned on his feet and stared at Hayato in surprise.

"Jyuudaime!_**[3] **_I'll follow you! Command me to do anything!" Hayato exclaimed, lifting his head. The once-bitter green now bright, almost like a puppy. I could see a tail wagging behind the boy if I squint and concentrated.

"Wah?!" Tsuna choked, looking absolutely baffled. That's exactly what my thoughts were as well.

"Having the loser serve under the winning family is a rule," Hayato declared.

"EH?!" Tsuna shout, taking a step back.

Hayato sat up from groveling, now sitting up on his knees. My eyes drank in everything, and I took note of what was said. My instincts were trembling, and something inside of me was flickering, burning, and rising. I didn't know what it was, but for some reason I felt... anticipated.

"Actually," Hayato said in a calmer, seemingly embarrassed tone, "I had no real ambitions to become the Decimo_**[4]**_. It's just that when I heard that the Decimo was a Japanese guy the same age as me, I felt that I had to test his strength." My thoughts whirled, spinning. _'Decimo? What language is that?'_

Hayato looked up, the puppy look once more decorating his face. He met the wide doe-eyes of Tsuna, and continued, "But you're much more than I expected! For putting yourself on the line to save me, I'm putting my life in your hands!"

Tsuna waved his hands in the air, a startled expression on his face. "That's troubling, with lives and such!" Tsuna denied, "Nor-Normal classmates is enough, right?!"

Hayato looked up, and he regained that gangster-like glare in his eyes. "Absolutely _not_!" he growled.

Tsuna's face seemed horror-struck.

Then, a baby jumped from the bushes, landing gracefully at Tsuna's feet. My gaze followed the baby, and recognition flashed through me like a wave. It was that exact same kid from the volleyball tournament. The one whom called himself a hitman, and shot Tsuna in the legs with those strange bullets.

"Gokudera became your subordinate because of your strength, well done Tsuna," the baby, Reborn if I remembered correctly, said.

Then, the baby turned to me. "Ciaossu, Miyamoto Azami," the baby greet, tipping his hat.

Tsuna started, and snapped his head to stare at me, his eyes growing wide when he noticed me.

"H-How long h-have you been t-there M-Miyamoto-chan?" he stammered, wringing his hands.

"Dame-Tsuna," Reborn squeaked in his nasally voice, "You need to work on your observation skills. She's been here the entire fight."

Tsuna gave an involuntarily yelp at the information.

I rolled my shoulders back, trying to force the shock I'd been in out of my system. I carefully blanked my face, and watched as Hayato stood up and stalked towards me, his hands in his pockets with a dark look in his eyes.

When a few feet away from me, he snarled, and pulled out a stick of dynamite. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" he demand, "Are you here to kill Jyuudaime?!"

I blinked, startled, and forced out through my slight daze, "No. Why are you calling Tsuna Jyuudaime? Just _what _was with the dynamite and that fight?" To Tsuna, I added, "And why are you dressed in only your boxers? Did you strip or something?"

Hayato growled again, his eye twitching violently. "Don't you dare address Jyuudaime so formally! You have no right to demand anything from him, low-life!" he shouted, shifting his weight forward as he reached for his lighter.

I snapped my eyes back to the more dangerous force in front of me, and my body tensed. I was so confused, so frustrated, and was on the edge of my patience. I couldn't hold anymore, I'd had enough, and locked onto the first emotions bubbling within.

On that whim, I burst out angrily, "Shut up! Why the _hell _were you just trying to kill Tsuna? Don't say you weren't, I _saw!_"

Hayato paused momentarily, his eyebrows drawing together and the rage in his eyes growing. Before he acted out, I made the first move by slipping behind him and jamming an elbow into his back. Hayato yelped, near falling to the ground, before he twisted around and lit a stick of dynamite, posing to throw it at me._**[5]**_

"G-Guys!" Tsuna yelped, "S-Stop!"

We both ignored Tsuna, prepared to get into an all-out brawl, when a sharp voice demanding command said, "Both of you, stand down."

I suddenly halted, the sudden intrusion of command startling me. I stumbled, and Hayato immediately turned out the fuse. He hid away the stick, glaring at me as he limped back to Tsuna. As he walked by me, he hissed, "Bitch."

My lips twitched into a small snarl, but I repressed it and glanced over when movement shift in my peripheral vision. Reborn was now standing in front of me, a blank look on his face. It took all my power not to shudder at meeting those eyes again.

What felt like hours, when in reality was only minutes, Reborn's face twist into a smirk. I blinked, startled out of reverie and locked stare we'd just engaged in. My eyes dart to my feet, and for some reason I felt like I'd just taken a test. I was highly unnerved.

I faintly heard Reborn mutter a faint, "Interesting." under his breath. Before I could question just _what _was going on, a voice interrupted us.

"Oh no," a voice mocked in false exasperation, "These guys are cutting class. This requires some punishment."

I flickered my gaze around, and irritation flashed through me. I wanted answers, not delinquents trying to play cool and feel good by beating up people weaker and younger than them.

"You're only allowed to cut starting senior year," another joined his friend's mocking, leaning forward with a dark smile on his face.

"How many teeth do you want broken?" asked the last, cracking his knuckles in satisfaction. I heard Tsuna gulp loudly from behind me, and I tried to deny the slight shiver trickling down my spine.

"Leave it to me," Hayato's gruff voice said, "I'll take care of them." Hayato stepped forward, pulling out some dynamite, and approached the smirking seniors.

I observed Hayato beat them up, and as the scene occurred, I made my escape. I slipped into the shadows, pulling away. I suddenly felt tired, and realized I probably just dug myself a huge shit hole.

Yet, there was no denying the sudden adrenaline thrill that was making my skin crawl.

* * *

I was in my safe zone, sitting underneath the cherry tree in the schoolyard. It was unlike me to cut class, but after the whole confrontation with Hinari, and letting my temper slip and almost getting into a full-blown _fight _with Hayato, who would of no-doubt kicked my butt, I was exhausted.

I guess I was much more stressed than I thought I'd been.

As my eyes closed, I heard a voice say, "Ciassou."

They snapped open, and I sat up, daring a look to the side. There sat a very familiar baby.

I sighed through my nose and lay back down again. I said out loud, "Are you going to give me answers, or are you going to just bother me like everyone else?"

I could feel the baby's gaze observing me, and I knew I was showing a lot of emotion. I was weary, mentally and physically, and at the moment I just didn't care.

I felt a weight on my stomach, and I opened my eyes and met the dark gaze of Reborn. I felt fear crawl into my mind, the haunted shadows lurking in those eyes unnerving me. My instincts screamed that now there was no escape.

The baby smirked.

"What do you know of the mafia?"

* * *

_**[1]**_Azami is originally from America, so she is used to referring to people by their first names. Out loud, she won't use them unless given permission or trying to annoy the person, but in her thoughts she calls them by their first name.

_**[2]**__Itai _is basically the Japanese form of "ow" or "ouch". I don't really know why I used it, I just felt like it was better than the English "ow".

_**[3]**__Jyuudaime _is Japanese for tenth/tenth generation. It is what Gokudera refers to Tsuna as.

_**[4]**__Decimo _is Italian for tenth/tenth generation. Throughout the series, it is the formal/official name for the tenth generation boss.

**_[5]_ **Normally, Azami isn't one to start a fight, but with that phone call from this morning, and how Hinari basically twisted her mind before, she has the right to have a stressful day and trying to take out her anger on Gokudera. That's my excuse.

_**A/N:**_This chapter was long. Whew. It felt like a ton to write, actually. Over 4k words. Golly. My fingers ache. Sorry for the long wait. And, I realize that Azami acted fairly similar to Hibari in this chapter temper-wise (or is it just me thinking that?), but there is a reason to that. The early morning phone call, plus the way I have Hinari twisting her nerves and confusing the crud out of her, is basically torture for the girl. She wants answers, and the fight I had her with Hayato... it doesn't seem right to me honestly. After deep thinking I really couldn't figure out any other way on how to integrate her in to move the story forward. And yes, while she _will _know about the mafia now, she won't easily accept it, nor will she start right away hanging with Tsuna and them. It will take more than that. She is a very closed-off individual. If you are displeased with her temper, I apologize, but that's how it turned out, and I actually really like how this is. As a warning, the next chapter isn't part of canon, but a characterization to get into Azami's head. It will clear up quite a few things for you guys, I believe.

**Answering Reviews**

**ShadedEclipse**- Aw, that was sweet of you to review all the chapters! I don't mind adding to the review count, no go right ahead! Your reviews made my day, and I apologize for the rather long wait. I just had no clue how to get her into the story in character without her personality jumping crazily too much. This story is much more fast-paced to write. I appreciate the commentary very much! Thanks so much! ~wipes away tear~


	5. Five - Unsettled

**Disclaimer: I do not Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.  
I solely own Miyamoto Azami and any mentioned OCs.**

* * *

_"Jinja no kibu ni kokoro no kotoba."_

* * *

[_ Unsettled _]

* * *

In the folds of my blanket, I curled into myself as darkness shroud me. It had been several days ago when Reborn had told me almost everything. Now that I knew... I held the desire I never could of seen those flames. It seemed those are what had started it.

I sighed, cradling my head in the palm of my hand. While Reborn had told me of the mafia, and just _who _Tsuna was destined to become, he hadn't explained why he thought to tell me. To quench that raging thirst for knowledge I had budding inside. It could of only been because I'd witnessed what others hadn't, such as Reborn shooting Tsuna in the legs, seeing that orange flame, and watching the fight between Hayato and Tsuna.

However, common sense and instinct told me otherwise. Reborn was dangerous, and even without the uncomfortable feeling being around him sent off, I knew that the moment I saw his eyes.

_'Eyes are the window to the soul,' _I thought faintly. I gave a rasped chuckle, because that quote was much more accurate than the one who said it might of intended.

Reborn could of never approached me during the volleyball game, and I have no doubt if he hadn't I'd still be scrambling to make sense of that flame of Tsuna's. For whatever reason, I'd attracted the attention of the hitman, if only a smudge of it, but it worried me regardless.

I wasn't strong, I didn't have any abnormal backgrounds, and the only strange things that have happened to me in life thus far were my parents' divorce and trying to avoid Hinari on a daily basis.

So, I pondered, just what about me had caught the baby's eye?

I didn't like not knowing, and I absolutely despised getting forced into things against my will. With the way this mafia business was going, it seemed Reborn had no intention of letting me off easy. Frustrated tears welled in my eyes, and I covered my face with my pillow.

Within minutes, I was lost to the realm of sleep, but even my dreams were haunted by what was to come.

* * *

School was nothing pleasant, not that I expected any less. I caught Tsuna casting nervous glances at me, and whenever Hayato saw Tsuna doing such an act, he'd turn and try to catch my eyes with a sharp glare of pure anger and hate.

I did my best to ignore them, and when the bell rang for lunch I slipped away silently into the halls before anyone could approach me. I was heavily aware of their gazes resting on my back as I escaped.

In the hallway, Hinari came up to me and dragged me to the rooftops with the rest of the gossiping committee. At the top, Kaede got in my face with an enthusiastic, welcoming grin I tried my best to give her a strained, falsely friendly one in return.

Her eyes didn't change, no indication she noticed how horrible I was feeling, and returned to laughing and chatting with the other girls crowded close to each other.

Hinari turned her sneer on me, and she said lowly only for me to hear, "Don't try to escape this time around, Azami. I've got my eyes on you, got it?" I barely gave her a tilt of my head to show I heard, before I lumbered away from the girl and sat against a wall.

My eyes flickered between everyone, and I only spoke when someone addressed me specifically. Other than that, I remained silent and let everyone do as they pleased. For once, nobody bothered me constantly to share gossip I didn't truly have, nobody filling me in on anything they'd heard recently that was going around in rumors. I couldn't have been more grateful for that as I rest my eyes tiredly.

I thought foolishly that maybe, just maybe, I'd gotten away another day from the inquiring eyes of Tsuna, away from the accusing glares of Hayato, away from the plotting looks of Reborn.

I believed it foolishly, clinging to the hope that nobody would ever ask me again, and they'd eventually forget I even existed, and everything would go back to normal. I underestimated just how determined they all were, and that could of been a fatal mistake.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I reached and opened it up, letting a tired, "Hello?" to be spoken to the speaker.

"_Anna!_"_**[1]**_ the caller beamed, sounding as if she was grinning widely.

I sat up a little straighter, and a genuine, fond smile twitched my lips. "Hello, Squirt. How're you?"

"_I told you not to call me that, Anna,_" the little girl on the other side pout. I laughed faintly, and responded, "I call you that because you don't like it, Squirt, get used to it." When she giggled in return, I knew she wasn't offended in any way.

I heard a deep male voice say something to her, and I felt a small, displeased furrow of my brows appear on my face. "_Hello, Azami,_" my father's voice rumbled through the cell phone, obviously the talkers having switched. I sighed, and leaned back once again.

"Hey, father. How's Emi doing out in America?" I asked absently, my fingers twisting themselves among a stray strand of brown hair hanging limply over my face.

"_Well,_" he revealed vaguely, "_but more importantly, how are you doing with your mother out in Japan? You haven't called back since I called you a couple days ago._"

"Yeah," I responded quietly, "I didn't because I wasn't sure what to do. Are you really sure you can't take care of Emi, father? I don't want her to live here in Japan, she doesn't even know Japanese."

He snorted, a buzz of static coming from the noise. "_Of course I was serious. I'd never offer her up if I couldn't care for her, Azami, and you know that. I have no other choice, the way things are here is running me ragged. I need you to take care of her._"

I opened my mouth to retort, slight irritation weaving through me, when Emi's voice whined, "_When can I see Anna, Dad? I want to see Anna!_"

I heard him sigh, and his voice was quieter as he turned from the phone to say, "_Soon, Emiko, soon. You'll be in Japan with your sister in a couple days, okay?_"

Emi chirped an ecstatic, "_Yay!_" before I heard her tumble off into the distance.

He turned back to me, and he said, "_I really am sorry, Azami. I'm sending her to you soon, and she'll arrive in Japan in about two days. Let your mother know. Bye, sweetheart._"

The phone made a click noise, and beeping went into my ear as I was left speechless. I removed the phone from my ear, and I stared at the screen as it flashed, "Call Ended!" in my face. I didn't know how long I stared blankly at the device until a rather feminine voice said timidly, "Miyamoto-chan?"

I flinched, and snap my head around as I shoved my phone rather violently into my pocket. I met Tsuna's caramel eyes, and I dropped my head with a defeated grumble. Looking back up, I said, "Hey, Tsuna-san."

Something that reminded me faintly of concern flashed and lingered in his eyes, and he asked, "A-Are you okay?"

I forced a smile on my face, and said, "Of course. I just learned some rather depressing news from my father out in America."

"Don't lie to Jyuudaime," Hayato's gruff voice bit out angrily. My eyes quickly flashed to see Hayato coming up from behind Tsuna, a look of contempt and anger marking his face with a light scowl.

I narrowed my eyes, the boy's temper making my own bounce back, and replied, "I wasn't."

He made a "tch" noise, throwing his head to the side as he growled out, "Then stop smiling like that. It's sickening, and you're making Jyuudaime worried, low-life."

My eyes widened at the blunt statement, and my forced smile immediately dropped from my face in shock. Since when could they tell that I was faking? Panic closed my throat painfully, and I dropped my eyes to the ground.

Tsuna turned a disapproving look on Hayato, and to me he addressed, "S-Sorry about him, Miyamoto-chan. R-Really, though, a-are you o-okay? I-I mean... you d-did see the f-fight yesterday."

I forced down the scared shivers threatening to make my form shake uncontrollably, and managed to say, "I'm okay, Tsuna-san, Gokudera-san. Please don't worry about me."

Hayato growled again, and he stepped forward as he spat out, "What did I just say, low-life?! Do you want to get beaten down or something? And stop addressing Jyuudaime so informally!"

I winced a bit at the dark tone of his voice, and I got to my feet shakily. I ignored Tsuna's concerned noise as he tried to reach out for me, if a bit hesitantly. I said, "So sorry then, Gokudera-san. I won't be a bother anymore." My actions and voice were robotic and emotionless as I turned and walked away with as much control as I could.

When Tsuna cried out, "Miyamoto-chan, please wait!" I let my legs carry me to a run. I wanted to escape, and I tried to hastily ignore those salty tears threatening my vision.

I shoved passed Hinari on the stairs, and a loud curse escaped the girl's lips as she stumbled and glared at me. I ignored everything, and when I reached my spot under the tree, I collapsed in a curled heap and let those restrained tears silently leak down my face.

* * *

"How long are you going to sit there and run away?"

I looked up, several hours ago having calmed down to a reasonable mood. I met Hinari's dark brown eyes, and I flinched at the harsh truth in her words. I changed my sight to the grass, knowing it was true, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I heard her snort, and she most likely threw her head back in the air like she usually did. "What happened to that fire, Azami?" she questioned. "You can't just run away from the mafia, because you're already tangled with their problems."

My eyes went wide, and I whip my head up to stare at her. _'How did she know about the mafia?' _

Her eyes narrowed further, and she snapped, "None of your business!" At my expression being stained with surprise, she hissed out, "You're showing too much emotion. I can't read minds, nobody can, foolish child."

I sat up, and I did my best to meet her eyes. I was anxious, and I'd always been wary of Hinari, but now it was near doubled. She knew about the mafia, and from the way she talked, she herself was involved in it. "What do you want?" I choked out.

"To get you moving off your pathetic ass," she sneered. "Stop being a wimp and start taking responsibility for your actions, you brat. You don't how hard it was for me to cover for you as long as I have, and I can't do it anymore. Start showing your sparks!"

Anger well up inside me, and the emotion consumed me as I retorted back, "I don't know what is going on anymore, Hinari! You can't just step in on my life and tell me to start acting a certain way! Things can't change that fast, and you know it! Everyone does. So go away and let me do things the way I want!"

My body felt a degree warmer than it had been, and Hinari's face twist into a satisfied smirk.

I felt cooled down as confusion took over, and my head tilt slightly to the side when she murmured, "You do possess a strong amount of flames, it seems. They just don't manifest."_**[**__**2]**_

"What?" I breathed out.

She seemed to rouse from her thoughts, and she merely graced me with a short, "Figure it out yourself. It's still too early to tell you."

With those departing words, obvious dismissal in them, she turned heel and walked back to the school, leaving me laying on the ground as I tried to discover just what was going on. Another factor has thrown me for a loop, and if Hinari had been trying to prove something with that conversation, I didn't know anymore than I had since I woke up this morning.

* * *

I felt tired, much more than someone should be after a day, no matter how hectic it'd been. I drag myself to my house after the final bell, and I had no energy to bother with Tsuna and Hayato.

I kicked off my shoes, lining them against the wall in the hallway, and tossing my school bag near the stairs to grab when I went to my room. When I walked into the kitchen, I froze when I realized that my mother was in the kitchen, face-down on the countertop.

I sighed, shaking my head as I exhaustively made my way to her. I shook her shoulder, saying in almost a whisper, "Mom? Wake up." Her head lift up, and I grimaced at her looks. Her eyes blood-shot and unfocused, her hair tangled and a huge mass of a rat's nest on her head.

"Who'shat?" she slurred, and it took me a few beats to decipher what she'd said. She was drunk again, and I was incredibly lucky she was already almost passed out. If she wasn't I would of probably been screamed at. She doesn't abuse me, but when she's drunk, she yells a lot.

"Let's get you to bed," I murmur, doing my best to lift her over my shoulder. She stumbled with each step taken, and I got her to the futon before she fell over. I couldn't move her anymore, so I slumped in defeat and draped a blanket over her.

I went to my room, shut the door behind me, and fell face-first onto my bed.

_'Why can't my life be easier?' _I thought, shifting to roll onto my back.

* * *

My cell bleeped loudly, and I blearily opened my eyes. I hadn't realized I'd fallen asleep. I reached over to the stand, and place the phone to my ear. I opened my mouth, and said, "Hello, Azami speaking."

"_I need you to do something._"

I lurched up at the strange voice speaking through the phone, fully awake now at the almost ominous words. "Who is this?" I demanded.

A chuckle vibrate through, and the person said, "_Forgotten me already? This is Reborn, Miyamoto._"

I froze, my fingers loosening as I almost dropped my phone in shock. "W-What do you want? How did you get my number?" I stammered, my hand undeniably shaking,

The baby chuckled, and suddenly that voice through the phone I hadn't recognized was all too familiar with a name to put to it. "_Tomorrow at school, I want you to meet me at the roof in the morning. That is all, and if you don't show up..._" the pause explained enough. I didn't need clarification.

"I'll be there," I gulped out.

"_Good._"

Reborn hung up, and as I put my phone down and lay back on my bed, I couldn't help but wonder just what Reborn was going to drag me into.

* * *

_"Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you." _

_**-John Green**_

_**"The Fault in Our Stars"**_

* * *

_**[1]**_Anna is what Emiko, Azami's little sister, calls Azami because Emiko couldn't pronounce "Azami" when she was little. Instead, she said "Anna" and it stuck for the girl. So Emiko will always call Azami "Anna".

_**[2]**_In this story, I'm making it extremely difficult for Azami to trigger her flames. Hinari will have a rather big involvement in triggering those flames, but it will take much blood, sweat, and tears for Azami to use them and manifest them without overly exhausting or injuring herself. She will have to work for the Dying Will flames.

_**A/N:**_On one hand, I'm really satisfied with the emotional scenes in this. On the other hand, it sort of feels a bit like it was too soon, but hey, this is supposed to be a _**realistic take on the**_** _mafia._ **I made this emotional on purpose, because I'm attempting to make this as realistic as possible. If you were suddenly pulled into the mafia, a huge, outrageous and dangerous world of problems, would you be tough and easy-going? No? Didn't think so. Azami is already worried over having to take care of her sister, whom is coming to Japan in several chapters, and the fact that Reborn scares her isn't helping. She's terrified of the prospect of the mafia, and I'm sure most people should - _would - _be as well. I'll admit it was a bit exaggerated, but seeing as this is KHR, I thought some exaggeration wouldn't hurt. The feels in this chapter ;n;. Oh, and this isn't really considered "canon". This was solely a characterization chapter, nothing more. A transition to the next chapter. In comes Takeshi! 

**Answering Reviews**

**Mia Heartnet- **Thanks! I'm honored you've decided to follow my OC story, of all the OC stories out there^^. Hope this update satisfies you! Btw, is your name based off of Black Cat? Heartnet was the last name of the main character, Train Heartnet.


	6. Six - The Attempt

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters.  
I solely own Miyamoto Azami and any mentioned OCs.**

* * *

**IMPORTANT: I changed my penname! It is no longer Taz-Sae, but AkumaRed! **

**I AM STILL THE SAME PERSON.**

**NOW, READ ON. ~hearts~**

* * *

_"Jinja no kibu ni kokoro no kotoba."_

* * *

[_ The Attempt _]

* * *

Chilled morning air greet me as I took my leave off the porch. Hiking my book bag up my shoulder with a light hop in my step, I began to trek to school. Mom was snoring away on the couch yet again, and I wouldn't be all to surprised to catch her in the act of a major hangover when I arrived home in a couple of hours. At least the alcohol-induced migraine could tame some of her pissed attitude as to spare me the suffering of listening to her rant about her jobs, and the continual firing requests given to her bosses from fellow employees. Lord knows I've heard just about enough of such financial and mundane yells from her.

Don't misunderstand, I love Mom, but she was just very difficult to deal with most of the time. She was actually a very pleasant and kind woman in a good mood. Divorcing with Father, and Emi being taken away from her to stay in America, had near broken her. I couldn't remember how many times I've caught her sobbing out her heart in her bedroom at night in the past.

I forcefully shove away such thoughts winding in my head. It wouldn't do me or anyone else any good to ponder on the past. Lingering only brought needless anxiety and stress, and I have enough as it is with this whole "mafia" gig occurring. It was hard to believe it was even real, and not some tasteless child's game such as Cops and Robbers_**[1]**_, but if you included that odd twerp, Reborn, it all made sense.

One may call me a gullible idiot to believe that Reborn was even an actual person, and not some sort of man-made mechanic of some sort, or a baby with a speaker attached underneath that dressy suit, but they haven't seen his eyes.

My fingers trace the edge of my own, not quite touching the eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder what it was that people have seen in my gaze. People may often say that you know yourself best, but there were parts of yourself that not even you were aware of, but someone else just might be.

I pause briefly at the entrance to school, but enter without hesitance. Without bothering to go to class first to assure the teacher I was not absent or tardy, I took a quick glance of my surroundings before I trudged up the rather long staircase to the roof. I felt a sort of grim anxiety crowding me internally, and each step closer towards where I was told to go by Reborn was agonizing. I wanted to turn tail and flee, but my "fight" instincts were a fragment stronger than my "flight".

The door open with a faint squeak as the hinges seem to flinch from the sudden movement. I gave a small wince at the sound that seemed so much larger in the empty silence of the roof. I walk forward, making my way towards the rusted chain link fence as I flickered my gaze everywhere they could reach, searching for Reborn as he was the one to call me here.

As much as the baby unnerved me, I did not enjoy my time being wasted and was more than willing to chew him or anyone else out. With a gusty sigh, I rest my palms on the rough ends of the fence, and turn my line of sight outwards as the sunlight cleared the morning fog. The smell of damp earth fill the air completely, not entirely an unpleasant or overly noticeable scent.

My momentary peace was disrupted by an ear-piercing yelp.

One hand flew up to my ear, and I gave a slight hiss of pain under my breath at my throbbing ear drums. Switching my body position to face the direction the sound originated from, irritation faded into barely covered surprise.

Before me stood Tsunayoshi, not Reborn. The boy was on his behind, rubbing it with his hand as his face crumbled into a painful grimace. He got to his feet rather clumsily, and he seemed to finally remember I was there when I said aloud, "What are you doing here, Tsuna-san?"

The brunet_**[2] **_gave another miniature screech, hopping a step away from me with his hands in front of his face and cowering. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to intrude!"

Bemusement color my facial expression as one of my eyebrows slowly crept upwards. "Why are you apologizing, Tsuna-san? You didn't do anything wrong, but please, refrain from screaming like you have been. It hurts my ears."

He lower his arms to his side as he straightened himself out a bit from his hunching, and a sheepish smile graced his face with a faint shade of pink that was vibrant against his pale skin. "S-Sorry, Reborn h-had told me to c-come up here t-this m-morning a f-few minutes a-ago."

A small black silhouette land with a soft _thump _onto Tsuna's head, and the boy barely suppressed another yelp of his as he remembered my words from just before. His hands were slapped over his mouth as he try to look up at the addition to his spiked brown hair, honey eyes decorated with agitation that somehow looked more like a pout.

The silhouette slap the boy over the head with a tiny hand, and a reprimanding, nasally-pitched voice of a familiar baby scolded, "Dame-Tsuna! You're not supposed to just freely hand out information, ally or not, to anyone."

Amusedly, my thoughts drifted to the trail of, _'Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear.'_

It was only then that it became clear to my eyes that Reborn really _was _Tsuna's tutor. An odd pair they made, especially seeing as Reborn was many feet shorter than his own student. _'Though,' _I thought, a bit amused, _'judging from the way they react to each other, they both seem very displeased with this tutoring arrangement.'_

The dressed-up baby shifted off of Tsuna's hair to the brunet's shoulder, casually sitting upon it as if it was a completely normal scene for a very literate and mature near-toddler to be perched on a young teenage boy's shoulder.

"On to the business matters," Reborn cleared his throat, "I just wanted to say one thing to you, Miyamoto."

Tsuna made a confused noise as wide, curious eyes glanced between Reborn and me. I met his eyes once they flickered towards me again, and tried to send him the silent, _'Stop prying' _message with a look. He seemed to of received it, because he ducked his head a bit downwards, another blush staining his cheeks.

Either not noticing our brief exchange or ignoring it (_most likely the latter in my opinion_), Reborn continued without much pause between his previous statement.

"Come here close to lunch time during free period_**[3]**_, or else something bad may happen to you."

I shuddered involuntarily at the obvious threat present in his tone, and he threw me an arrogant smirk.

The baby then said, "You two better get to class, you're tardy."

I opened my mouth to tell him the bell hadn't rung, but before I could speak, the familiar _brrrriiiiinnng! _of the starting bell interrupted my protest. I froze a bit, and then cursed, "Shit!" as I threw my bag over my shoulder and dashed down the staircase. I ignored the rather chaotic reaction of Tsuna as I sprint past him.

I opened the classroom door, out of breath, as all the class turned their mocking eyes towards me, silently laughing at my soon-to-become humiliation at being late. The teacher, Nezu-sensei_**[4]**_, turned his eyes towards me.

The self-promoted Tokyo University teacher snorted, and to the class he addressed, "If, hypothetically speaking, a student was late to _my _class, I think I would grant them detention. However, hypothetically of course, this student was one of my best, I believe I would give him or her a chance to redeem their self with a pop quiz."

I scowled, taking the paper he'd thrust towards me, and slid into my seat and began to fiercely scribble away at the questions.

Silently, I cursed overly intelligent, manipulative babies in my head as I ignore all the prodding and nagging of the people around me.

* * *

I could not bring myself to move, paralyzed. My lunch was forgotten, left abandoned next to me, as I watched with disbelieving eyes. I rubbed them persistently multiple times, trying to convince myself I was just daydreaming and _Yamamoto Takeshi _of all people was _not _looking like he was about to perform a suicide jump over the rooftop fence.

Before I could even halfway convince my eyes to direct themselves away from the scene - _ I would never dare acknowledge that this was so very familiar _- a large crowd was gathered near the popular baseball ace. His teammates all laughed, waving their hands foolishly.

"Guys, calm down, Yamamoto is only joking," one boy laughed, his teammates following suit. Soon, the tension from the others was vaporized. Nobody else noticed the dark frown on Yamamoto's face, nor the tightening of his fist on the fence.

The boy's normally bright and sunny amber eyes tinted yellow seemed duller now, void of emotion. His black hair shadowed his eyes slightly, and I felt something like fear constrict in my chest painfully.

Takeshi's casted arm, a sling keeping it in place firmly against his chest, was bare and open for the world to see. I could not help but wonder just what had happened to push him over the edge. I took a mental scope of past meetings with him, as little as they were, and I realized for the first time...

_...just how fake those smiles were._

Takeshi turned, bracing his good arm as if to lift himself over the chain link fence. It seemed then, and only then, that all those fools seemed to realize what was happening. This was not a joke, and Takeshi was incredibly serious about what his actions were revealing.

"Hey, Yamamoto!" the same baseball player who'd told everyone it was a simple prank exclaimed, "This isn't funny! You're taking it way too far!"

Takeshi's eyes shifted towards them solemnly, and he gave a sad, emotionless chuckle. "Heh, sorry, but that's not true. Since the baseball god threw me away, I have nothing left."

I felt my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline. _'Baseball god...? That's... is he doing this... over an _injury_?! That idiot!' _I clambered to my feet, my own scowl furrowing my brow as a dark glower narrow my eyes into sharp slits.

"No way!" a classmate shouted, his eyes wide in shock, "He's serious!"

"That fence is rusty and might fall at anytime, too!" another noted in worry, taking a small step forward. The action was hardly noticed amongst the crowd of gawking children.

"What should I do? I shouldn't of have said that!" an awfully familiar, cowardly voice whimpered. "I can't face Yamamoto!" I flinched violently, and spun my head around fast enough to give me a whiplash. Tsuna was cowering with his hands gripping his hair frantically, crouching low to the ground next to me.

"When did you get there?!" I snapped quietly at the boy. He flinched, staring up at me with oval-shaped eyes that spoke of clear anxiety and fear.

"J-Just n-now," he stammered uncertainly, taking a hasty lurch away from me.

It took a moment for me to register what he'd said before I'd addressed him specifically, and suddenly I blurted out against my own consent, "Wait, what did you tell T- Yamamoto-san?"

The young teenager squeaked at my inquire, peaking up at me almost guiltily. Our rather one-sided conversation was interrupted by none other than the baby, Reborn, whom I was still secretly holding a tiny grudge against for causing me to be late to class earlier that morning.

"You want to help Yamamoto as a friend, right?" the child hitman asked, sounding more like a statement with the command to do such an action _right now _or Tsuna would get his ass whipped. From the way the baby's eyes flickered towards me momentarily for a brief second made me assume he also meant me. _'Stupid baby. Go bother someone who wants to willingly join your ridiculous mafia game. Leave me the hell alone.'_

I still had some common sense and refrained from running my mouth.

I was aroused from my thoughts by the clicking sound of a gun being prepared to be shot. My vision snapped into focus, and I felt my mouth moving, but no words managing to force themselves out.

"Then don't be afraid," Reborn smirked, aiming his gun at Tsuna's forehead. "Get ready to be Reborn."

"Wait!" Tsuna shrieked - _I swear my ears popped. How does a boy get a voice that _squeaky_?! - _throwing his arms in the air as he frantically crawled away from the baby. "Time out!"

There was a brief pause, and then Tsuna was sprinting towards Takeshi, honey-brown eyes wide in his usual terrified look as Reborn's smirk seemed to widen.

"Please stop!" Tsuna shouted at Reborn over his shoulder, still running forward as he kept a cautious gaze on the gun still aimed at his face.

Realization suddenly colored me surprised. The way Tsuna said that sounded as if he had been talking to Takeshi, and if he runs into Takeshi, it might stall for time and Tsuna just might be able to pull off convincing the baseball ace to not jump. I looked down at the toddler beside me, and choked out, "You planned this somehow."

My question phrased as a statement was replied with dark chuckle.

I felt a slight chill tremble up my spine, causing me to shudder. That Reborn was freaking me out even more now, to have planned almost everything up to this point. What was concerning was how he wasn't making me do anything about this, even if he seemed hell-bent on causing me to be this mafia subordinate.

"What exactly are you scheming that involves me here?" I questioned warily, sitting up with my back propped against the wall.

Reborn's obsidian eyes flickered at me as he lowered his black and green gun, and simply replied, "You'll see." The way that spark danced in his eyes evilly was not a good sign.

I was beginning to fear for my life. This baby was dangerous once he sunk his claws into you and managed to reel you in. At this point, it felt like I was being dragged by the line, hopeless and caught.

Our short exchange was interrupted by the noise of two people smacking into each other. I turned my head and observed as Tsuna stumbled backwards, Takeshi taking a small step forward with a bit of surprise lighting his dulled gaze.

Tsuna fell onto his bottom, rubbing the back of his head as he muttered, "Ow, that hurt."

Takeshi's head rotated to the side to that Tsuna was in his sights. "Tsuna," the boy acknowledged glumly. Tsuna was panicked, looking from side to side as if trying to find a way to escape from all the looks cast upon him.

"If you came to stop me," Takeshi sighed, "it's no use. You should be able to understand my feelings."

"..Huh?" Tsuna asked dumbly.

"For someone that is called No-Good Tsuna all the time, you can understand the feeling of preferring to die over failing at everything, right?" Takeshi turned his eyes towards the horizon off to the side, eyes sad and depressed.

I personally thought he had no right to be depressed over a simple injury that heals with time, and he was overreacting. Then, a light bulb clicked on in my head. _'This actually might not have much at all to do with baseball... it might just be what's registering in his mind, what pushed him over the edge,' _I realized, eyes widening.

I didn't notice the triumphant glint that lit Reborn's eyes.

"..Uhm.. no.. well.. y-you and I are d-different so.." Tsuna trailed, looking as if thinking on something.

Takeshi's eyes darkened, and he glared at Tsuna with a newly found ferocity. "How awfully arrogant of the recently awesome Tsuna. So you're a fine student now as opposed to me."

"Wha? N-no! That's wrong, all wrong!" Tsuna denied, waving his hands. "It's b-because I'm no good!"

Takeshi's brow furrow in confusion as Tsuna continue, plowing on with what he was trying to say.

"Unlike you, I've never put effort into one single thing!" Tsuna exclaimed, a bit calmer as his arms steadied, remaining in the world sign for "peace and no harm" with his hands held up. "I arrogantly told you _effort _and such, but I've really done nothing. What I said yesterday was a lie. I'm sorry!"

Tsuna bowed his head, eyes shut tight as if waiting for a harsh rebuke. Considering the bullying he goes through, I could see why.

"Saying you're so frustrated you want to die, or you want to die because of a career-ending accident.. Unlike you, I've never had those kinds of intense thoughts," Tsuna admit. "In fact, I'm a pathetic person who would have regrets when dying, thinking that if I was going to die I should of done it with a Dying Will.. thinking it's a waste to die from something like this..."

I was bemused. Far more than that. I was shocked beyond any belief. I never truly knew how Tsuna felt about himself, other than all those rumors spread about him. As I mentioned before, I don't pay mind to rumors, so I don't really recall what was said. Though... in my eyes, to listen to one called "Dame" or "No Good" say these things was rather humbling.

I couldn't tell you why it was, but if you were here, you were listening, I think you would understand.

I only hoped that Takeshi would understand as well.

"So, I can't understand your feelings." Tsuna paused, and an almost guilty and sad look flickered across his face. "Sorry." He then turned and prepared to dash off, saying, "Later!"

I silently shook my head, and despite the serious situation, felt a small amount of amusement creep into me at the antics of Tsuna. He'd apparently reached his limit of public speaking.

"Wait, Tsuna!" Takeshi called, a different aura about him I couldn't identify as he reached forward and took a firm grip onto the back of Tsuna's shirt.

Being as weak and thin as he was, instantly Tsuna fell back from the hold, hitting against Takeshi's chest. The fence broke under their combined weight, and they began to free fall to the ground below.

I felt my mind flare in panic, and I leaped to my feet, dashing forward quick as I could through the crowd of students. They did nothing to assist me, all staring in shock, gasping at what just occurred. The fan club was beginning to scream, and I fell onto my stomach, reaching a desperate hand down towards my falling classmates.

I clasped a shaky palm around Takeshi's wrist before he was beyond my reach, lurching forward at the added weight, but stubbornly sunk my feet onto the roof.

"WHAAAA!" Tsuna screamed.

"Tsuna, take my hand!" Takeshi shouted, reaching out similarly to what I had done, except with his leg.

Tsuna reacted immediately, grabbing onto the appendage limply, sweating bullets as his screaming ceased for the moment.

I grunt, gritting my teeth as I did my best to prevent from sliding. Feeling my grip loosening, I reached down with my other hand as well. _'Stupid kids behind me...' _I thought angrily, _'being useless and just standing there watching like fucking idiots!'_

"Hold on Yamamoto-san," I said with strain, "I'm going to try and pull you both up."

Takeshi looked up at me, shocked. "You can't do that," he protested. "We're too heavy!"

I began to haul up my upper body, groaning with the effort of my actions. "No," I panted, "you're not that heavy. I can do it." I felt a strange, burning sensation flooding my arms, giving me an odd adrenaline and strength boost. I managed to lift them a bit higher.

Suddenly, the sound of cracking glass and a gunshot echoed through the air. I froze momentarily, and watched as blood dripped down Tsuna's head in bewilderment and fear. _'What...?'_

I didn't have time to fret, because Takeshi's grip loosened as he stared down at Tsuna in horror. "No!" I shouted at Takeshi, my own grip failing as they began to plummet downwards. "Damn it all to hell!" I cursed, trying to get to my feet. I couldn't for some reason, my body feeling as if it was drained of all energy it had. That comfortable adrenaline-fueled burn had vanished, and my arms felt like they were made of heavy, useless, and limp metal.

I was breathing like a dog that was left to run around in a summer heat wave without any water for hours, my throat dry. The warmth was no longer pleasant, but seared the tips of my fingers, making me cringe.

"MID AIR REBORN!"

I paused and glanced down, and the sight made my eyes widen to impossible widths. Tsuna was naked, wearing nothing but a pair of blue superhero boxers. A dark orange flame was raging on top of his head, one I had seen at a much lesser volume during the match against Mochida.

"Save Yamamoto with my Dying Will!" Tsuna roared, reaching down and getting a solid and strong hold onto the boy's uninjured arm, and then getting a good grip on the window edge.

He then lost his hold and they began to fall once again, Takeshi now somehow in Tsuna's arms bridal style. I would of laughed had I not been too busy near hyperventilating in panic.

"Tsuna!" Takeshi yelped, staring wide-eyed in disbelief at his classmate.

"Shit, can't stop!" Tsuna swore, glaring at the approaching ground and emanate death. "Dammit!" He flipped their body positions, so Tsuna was at the bottom and would receive the brunt of the fall. I watched helplessly, not even registering the second gunshot that rang out into the air and collide with Tsuna's head.

I became aware of it the moment hair seemed to sprout from the top of Tsuna's head, and send them flying back up towards the rooftop somehow. It was bizarre, making no sense, and my calmed sense locked within my head reasoned Reborn must of pulled some type of magic bullshit.

_'Fucking wizardry.' _

The two landed in a heap on the roof, both heaving for oxygen after the near-death experience.

"No way! They're safe? How?" a student cried out, staring down the two boys as if searching for any type of wires that were used in movies to create the illusion of someone flying. "That's not possible!"

"Maybe it was a joke of Yamamoto's?" a fangirl said hesitantly. "They could of been using wires or something." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes sarcastically as I attempt to pick myself off the roof floor and ignore the distinct pain radiating from my arms, mainly my hands and fingers.

"What the hell! I was seriously worried!" a baseball player scowled, crossing his arms.

A boy next to him snickered, and reasoned to the others, "It seems that Dame Tsuna really is a hentai_**[5]**_."

"Let's go, everyone," another dismissed, hands clasped behind his head as he made his way downstairs to class. The crowd agreed and began following him, dispersing from the claimed "prank" scene.

The fierce orange fire on Tsuna's head sizzled to non-existence, and he was back to normal - _aside from still no clothes but underwear - _as he gently shook Takeshi's shoulders, practically yelling with concern, "Are you okay Yamamoto?!"

"Yeah," Takeshi replied, giving a small smile with a solemn look. "You really are amazing Tsuna," he remarked, sitting up. Tsuna's head tilted to the side, confusion evident.

"You did it with a Dying Will, just like you said," Takeshi explained for the boy's part. Takeshi then grinned, rubbing the back of his head as his eyes closed, a faint blush staining his cheeks, "I don't know what I was thinking, nothing good comes from my idiocy."

Tsuna gave a smile himself, looking immensely relieved to have solved everything. Well... almost everything. I then decided to remind everyone I was still alive and present as I weakly limped over, cradling my arms over my chest in a crossed stance to hide the bright red burns over them. I didn't understand where they'd come from, but they didn't need to see that I'd somehow injured myself trying to save them.

So, instead, I gave a forced, beaming smile to cover up my exhausted face and damp sweatiness as my bangs clung to my face. It was only half-false, as I was genuinely happy to see them safe and relatively unharmed.

"I wouldn't say it's all fixed," I said, eyeing Tsuna's bare form in amusement. "You need some new clothes, Tsuna-san." Tsuna yelped in horror as he finally remembered, trying to cover his nudity with his arms.

"Don't look, " he whimpered pathetically, ashamed. Takeshi laughed whole-heartedly, and I caught sight of Reborn in my peripheral vision standing next to the door, smirking.

Sighing, I sit down and finally let the darkness shrouding my mind take over into unconsciousness. Now that everyone was safe, I could let go for a while and take a nap. I slumped over.

I heard Tsuna and Takeshi cry out in surprise, feeling a rush of air as they clambered over to me, dimly realizing that someone was shaking me to keep me awake.

Before I went fully under, I heard Reborn say, "Let her sleep, Dame-Tsuna. She was overly stressed from you idiots falling to your deaths."

_'I wonder why Reborn sounds like he's making an excuse for me,' _I thought woozily.

With that, the lights went out.

* * *

_"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking." _

**-Albert Einstein**

* * *

_**[1]**_Cops and Robbers, for those who do not know, is a game where some people are the robbers, and the cops are trying to catch them. It's sort of like a team tag. One team is the taggers (the cops), and the others are the ones trying to get away(the robbers).

_**[2]**_I felt this important to point out: "brunet" is used for males, and I've seen "brunette" used for both genders. However, "brunette" is only for girls. "Brunet" is for guys, 'kay? If I'm wrong, please let me know.

_**[3]**_I don't actually know when this suicide attempt took place, so I just placed it during a free period before their lunch time.

_**[4]** __Sensei _is "teacher" in Japanese, and a suffix to call your teacher either in school, or even a coach for a sports team.

_**[5] **Hentai _is essentially a "pervert" in Japanese. I do not know if it's the official translation, but it's what I know it as.

**A/N: Hey. Please don't be mad at me for not updating a whole month. ~sad puppy face~ It's past 2 AM right now, and Im still up finishing this up, even rereading and editing it, and then posting it, for ya'll! Be grateful for the suffering I go through. ~sniffles~... Nah, just kidding. It really is late though, but I had the urge to finish this, and it just led it to being this late because this chapter dragged on _and on and on and on and.. _you get the point.**

**Late happy Christmas, and hope you guys have a merry New Year as well! I may or may not have this chapter be the last post of this year *wink wink*, so it may be a couple of weeks until the next update. Or not. Depends on my mood, really. I tend to write slowly because I enjoy giving my best effort to describe things for you all to imagine best. And, of course, to create the worst of cliffies. Though, this one wasn't too bad. .. I don't think so at least. Don't worry, you won't wait too long!**

**So, happy holidays to all my beloved readers! Please, feel welcome to join what we call the "Review Community" where one posts this thing called a "review" that makes me want to post even more chapters! Isn't that wonderful? I don't mind some _constructive _flames, just no bashing please.**


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